The Philippines joins other countries in celebrating World Environment Day today, and hopes good things that underline the importance of nature and the environment will happen for the rest of the year.
Authorities have said it crisply that this span—the year 2021 and the succeeding years—is “our moment to reimagine, recreate and restore” with the persuasive suggestion that we are properly the generation that can make peace with nature.
But as we attempt to go at full throttle with the theme Ecosystem Restoration, we are hobbled by the coronavirus pandemic which has sans doubt affected human lives and daily activities although, a gleam on the plus side, it has improved the air quality and reduced water pollution.
With much of the country under General Community Quarantine, and some areas like Metro Manila and nearby provinces under heightened restrictions, there has been a substantial reduction in carbon emissions which has helped restore the ecological system.
But we agree with experts and health authorities that the disposal of medical waste like disinfectants, masks, gloves and the burden of untreated waste has also increased largely during the pandemic
At the same time, once the situation bounces back to normal, the environment may start suffering again. And long-term goals and proper implementation of strategies and policies are the need of the hour for global environmental sustainability.
World Environment Day is celebrated on June 5 every year to remind people about the importance of nature. It is celebrated across the globe to tell people that nature should not be taken for granted and must be respected for its values.
With the coronavirus outbreak and people being confined indoors, the environment and mother earth seem to have benefitted slightly. In the absence of human activities amid the coronavirus-induced lockdown, nature is getting time to clean itself and reclaim its space.
Organized by the United Nations to generate awareness about the significance of nature and greenery, the UN Assembly established World Environment Day in 1972, the first day of the Stockholm Conference on the human environment.
In 1974, it was celebrated with the theme “Only One Earth.” Since then, various host countries have been celebrating it, and the idea for rotating the center of these activities started. World Environment Day was first observed in 1974 in the US.This year is Pakistan’s turn.
We agree with American environmentalist Leonardo DiCaprio when he said, pretty much to the point, “Our planet’s alarm is going off, and it is time to wake up and take action!”